Women’s basketball gameday capsule: Elite Eight, Oregon vs. UConn

Oregon players celebrates their win over Maryland in a regional semifinal game Saturday in Bridgeport.

Oregon players celebrates their win over Maryland in a regional semifinal game Saturday in Bridgeport.

Photo: The Associated Press File Photo

Photo: The Associated Press File Photo

Image
1of/1

Caption

Close

Image 1 of 1

Oregon players celebrates their win over Maryland in a regional semifinal game Saturday in Bridgeport.

Oregon players celebrates their win over Maryland in a regional semifinal game Saturday in Bridgeport.

Photo: The Associated Press File Photo

Women’s basketball gameday capsule: Elite Eight, Oregon vs. UConn

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

The UConn women’s basketball team faces Oregon in the NCAA Tournament Bridgeport regional final on Monday.

• When: Monday, 7 p.m.

• Where: Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport

• Records: Oregon 23-13; UConn 35-0

• TV: ESPN

• Radio: WTIC-1080; WELI-960

• Internet: ESPN3

KEEP AN EYE ON

• On verge of history: There have been some impressive tandems to play together at UConn, but if sophomores Napheesa Collier and Katie Lou Samuelson combine for six points against Oregon they will become the highest scoring set of teammates in program history. Samuelson has 724 points and Collier 715 points in 35 games this season. Maya Moore and Tina Charles combined for 1,444 points during the 2009-10 season. The only other UConn teammates to combine for at least 1,400 points in the same season were Breanna Stewart and Bria Hartley during the 2013-14 season. Also, a win today would be the 152nd since seniors Saniya Chong and Tierney Lawlor first suited up for the Huskies, which would break the record set by Moriah Jefferson, Breanna Stewart and Morgan Tuck at UConn.

• No ordinary rookies: The pressure of March Madness can overwhelm even the most talented freshmen. However, that has not been an issue for Oregon’s Ruthy Hebard, Sabrina Ionescu and Mallory McGwire. Hebard has averaged 19.7 points and 10 rebounds, Ionescu has 50 points, 21 rebounds and 20 assists while McGwire has 21 points and 15 rebounds in three NCAA tournament games.

“We just want to play basketball, it is just another game on a bigger stage so hopefully we go out, do what we do and play hard,” Hebard said.

• Making her point: UConn’s defense had issues slowing down UCLA point guard Jordin Canada in the last game. Ionescu offers a different type of challenge. She is not as quick as Canada but is a better shooter and is a major reason why the Ducks are among the national leaders in 3-point percentage. Ionescu also is no stranger to the UConn coaches. They saw her play on her birthday when she was a freshman in high school and they had a home visit with her during the recruiting process. Ionescu had 21 points, six rebounds and seven assists in Saturday’s win over Maryland and UConn coach Geno Auriemma said she plays with the maturity of somebody who has a couple of seasons of college experience under her belt.

• Spreading the wealth: UConn has already tied a program record by having five players with at least 100 assists. More history could be awaiting as the Huskies are 19 assists shy of the program and NCAA women’s Division I record of 850 assists set by the 2013-14 team in 40 games. All six of the UConn players to see time in the UCLA game have averaged at least 1.7 assists for every turnover as the Huskies nearly have twice as many assists as turnovers this season.